Shoulder-braces.



PATENTED JULY 14, 1903 G. E. BATES.

SHOULDER BRAGES.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 2. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

4 (8 HIZIVZ ZWTOR.

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Patented July 14, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. BATES, OF ORION, MICHIGAN.

SHOULDER-BRACES.

$PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 733,897, dated July 14, 1903.

Application filed January 2, 1903.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE E. BATES, acitizen of the United States, residing at Orion, county of Oakland, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Shoulder-B races, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has for its object certain new and useful improvements in shoulder-braces; and it consists of the construction, combination, and arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view in perspective, showing the parts arranged as when in use. Fig. 2 is a View of the same, showing the forward ends of the side tension-straps detached. Fig. 3 is an edge'view showing the end of a shoulderstrap with the devices attached thereto.

The object of my invention, more particularly, is to provide improved shoulder-braces of simple construction, the braces not only acting as braces, but serving also as suspend ers for carrying the clothes, various parts being readily adjustable, as more especially hereinafter set forth. I carry out my invention as follows:

Right and left hand shoulder-straps are indicated, respectively, at of and b and right and left tension-straps at c and d. The right shoulder-strap a and the left tension-strap d are formed in a single piece of webbing or other suitable material, while the left shoulder-strap b and the right tension-strap c are also formed in a single piece. The two pieces a d and b 0 cross each other at the back, as indicated at e, between the shoulders at essentially right angles. The two shoulderstraps a and b are passed through metallic loops (indicated atf and g) toward their forward ends and are provided at their extremities with sliding buckles h and 1', through which the corresponding shoulder-straps are also passed and whereby the respective shoulder-straps may be adjusted as to length in a common manner. Attached to the loops f and g,respectively, are front Suspender-straps j and 7c, theupper extremities thereof being passed through the corresponding loops f and g and secured in place preferably by stitch- Serial No. 137,420. (No model) ing. The opposite extremities of the front suspender-strapsj and It are passed through suitable buckles, (indicated at'n and 19,) preferably consisting of what are known as Wire buckles, each formed with a hook, upon which are engaged a tube and ring, (indicated at q and 7",) front suspender-ends s and t being engaged through said tubes in the customary manner. It will be seen that by the employment of the sliding "buckles h and t and the sliding bucklesn and p a double ad- Wire buckles, each provided with a book 7 and a clasp 8 to be forced down upon the hook. The book 7 may be engaged with the corresponding metallic loops f and g. By means of said buckles u and v the tension of the straps d and a may beadjusted as may be required, said buckles u and n being adjustable upon the corresponding tensionstraps. The buckles u and '0 are made to have a detachable engagement with the corresponding loops f'and g, the hooks of the buckles u and n being detachably engaged in the adjacent ends of the corresponding metallic loops, the ends of the shoulder-straps being passed through said loops, as described, permitting the ready engagement of the hooks of the buckles u and n with the corresponding loops and their ready disengagement therefrom, as the material of said shoulder-straps is not closely engaged over the corresponding loops. might, however, be engaged, if preferred, with the buckles n and p or with the rings of the devices q and 1' instead of with said loops, if preferred. 1

The back Suspender-strap is indicated at w, the upper end of which is located between the straps a d and b c at their intersection This pro- The buckles u and v ICO and maybe stitched thereto. At its lower end the strap 10 is provided with a sliding buckle :12, preferably an ordinary wire buckle, provided with a hook upon which are secured a tube and ring y, through which are passed suspender-ends It will be perceived that the various suspender-ends above described are thus detachably engaged with the corresponding sliding buckles upon the corresponding suspender-straps, the rear suspender-ends being detachably engaged with the rear strap 10, as well as the front suspender-ends being detachably engaged with the buckles upon the front suspender-straps j and 7c.

It will be seen that where the straps a d and b cross each other at the back the parts are flat and smooth, no metallic devices being used thereat. The back suspender-strap to has thus an adjustable engagement with the corresponding buckle a; thereupon, so that its length may be adjusted as required.

It will be seen that all of the adjustments for tension as a shoulder-brace are at the buckle on the end of each of the shoulderstraps-is to bring the metallic loop higher or lower in order that the corresponding tensionstrap at its extremity may be raised or lowered, so as to carry the tension-straps nearer to or farther away from the armpit, asmay be required. Afterward the sliding buckles on the lower ends of the suspender-straps may be adjusted to make the suspender portions of the device of required length, or, in other words, to give the brace the proper length for use as suspenders. While I have described hereiubefore means for securing this double adjustment at the front of the braces, I do not limit myself solely to theseparticular means for securing this object, but hold myself entilled to such variations and modifications as come within the spirit of my invention.

It will be seen that the forward ends of the shoulder straps a b, the front suspenderstraps j 7t, and the suspender-ends s t attached thereto form frontsuspender portions of the brace.

It will be seen that the suspender-ends are adjustably connected with the suspenderstraps independently altogether of the means for adjusting the connection of the tensionstraps with the shoulder-straps. -Were it not for this provision for independent adjustment of the sliding buckles on the lower ends of the suspender-straps, it will readily be seen that any vertical adjustment of the tensionstraps in their engagement with the shoulderstraps would lengthen or shorten the suspender portions of the device. It will also be seen that the tension-straps are detachably engaged at their forward extremities with the front suspender portions of the brace, the tension-straps having at their forward extremities both a detachable and a verticallyadjustable engagement with the front suspender portions of the brace, means being provided adjustably engaged with the forward extremities of the tension-straps whereby the tension-straps may have a verticallyadjustable engagement with the shoulderstraps. It is obvious that by detaching the tension-straps the remaining features of the device still serve as a suspender.

A separate and distinct adjustment as to length of the suspender portions of the brace and of the suspender-ends, together with the adjustment provided for the tension-straps, render it possible to keep the tension-straps at any desired distance from the armpit, while atthe same time and by the same means the suspender portions of the device and the suspender-ends may be-adjusted as to length to any extent required.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. A shoulder-brace comprising shoulderstraps, front suspender straps, front suspender-ends, a rear suspender-strap, and rear suspender-ends adjustable upon the rear suspender-strap, said shoulder-straps being adjustable at their forward ends as to length, and said front suspender-ends having an additional vertical adjustment upon the front suspender-straps.

2. A shoulder-brace comprising shoulderstraps provided at their forward ends with loops through which the corresponding front ends of the shoulder-straps are passed, devices adjustably connecting the ends of the shoulder-straps with the body of the straps whereby the shoulder-straps are adjustable as to length, front suspendecstraps engaged with said loops, front suspender-ends having a vertically-adjustable engagement upon the suspender-straps, and a rear suspenderstrap.

3. A shoulder-brace comprising shoulderstraps adjustable at their forward ends as to length, front suspender straps, front suspender-ends adjustable upon the front suspender-straps, and tension-straps, the tension-straps detachably engaged at their forward extremities with the front suspender portions of the brace.

4. A shoulder-brace comprising shoulderstraps, front suspender straps, front suspender-ends, tension-straps, and a rear suspender-strap, the shoulder-straps at their forward ends being adjustable as to length, the front suspender-ends having a vertically-adj ustable engagement with the front ends of the suspender-straps, and means adj ustably intersecting at the back, each comprisinga shoulder-strap and a tension-strap, front and rear Suspender-straps, front Suspender-ends having a double vertical adjustment with the forward extremities of the shoulder-straps, and means whereby the forward ends of the tension-straps may have a detachable and vertically-adjustable engagement with the front suspender portions of the device.

7. A shoulder-brace comprising two straps intersecting at the back, each formingashoulder-strap and a tension-strap, metallic loops through which the forward ends of the shoulder-straps are passed, sliding buckles upon the forward extremities of the shoulder-straps whereby the forward ends of,the shoulderstraps may be adjusted as to length, suspender-straps engaged with said loops, and suspender-ends having an independent vertically-adjustable engagement with said suspender-straps.

8. A shoulder-brace having in combination two straps intersecting at the back, each comprising a shoulder-strap and a tension-strap, metallic loops through which the forward ends of the shoulder-straps are passed respectively, sliding buckles engaged with the forward extremities of the shoulder-straps, a sliding buckle upon the extremity of each tensionstrap having a detachable engagement with the corresponding loops, a suspender-strap engaged with each of .said loops, a sliding buckle upon the lower end of each of said Suspender-straps, a suspender-end engaged with each of the sliding buckles upon the suspender-straps, and a rear suspender-strap engaged with the two first-mentioned straps.

9. A shoulder-brace having in combinationtwo straps intersecting at the back, each comprising a shoulder-strap and a tension-strap, metallic loops through which the forward ends of the shoulder-straps are passed respectively, sliding buckles engaged with the forward extremities of the shoulder-straps, a sliding buckle upon the extremity of each tensionstrap having a detachable engagement with the corresponding loops, a Suspender-strap engaged with each of said loops, a sliding buckle upon the lower end of each of said suspender-straps, a suspender-end engaged with each of the sliding buckles upon the suspender-straps, and a rear suspender-strap stitched to the intersecting portions of the two first-mentioned'straps.

10. Ashoulder-brace havingin combination two straps intersecting at the back, each comprising a shoulder-strap and a tension-strap, metallic loops through which the forward ends of the shoulder-straps are passed respectively, sliding buckles engaged with the forward extremities of the shoulder-straps, a sliding buckle upon the extremity of each tensionstrap having a detachable engagement with the corresponding loops, a 'suspender-strap engaged with each of said loops, a sliding buckle upon the lower end of each of said Suspender-straps, a Suspender-end engaged with each of the sliding buckles upon the suspender-straps, and a rear suspender-strap. stitched to the intersecting portions of the shoulder-strap and a left tension-strap formed in a single piece, a left shoulder-strap and a right tension-strap formed in a single piece and intersecting the right shoulder-strap and left tension-strap at the back, metallic loops through which said shoulder-straps respectively are passed toward their forward ends, a sliding buckle adjustably engaged with the forward extremity of each of the said 5110111" der-straps, a sliding buckle adjustably engaged with the extremity of each of said tension-straps and having adetachable engagement with the corresponding loop, a suspender-strap engaged with each of said loops, a sliding buckle adjustably engaged with the extremity of each of said suspender-straps, suspender-ends engaged with the sliding buckles upon the Suspender-straps, a rear suspender-strap stitched to the intersecting portions of the shoulder-straps and tensionstraps, a sliding buckle adjustablyconnected with the rear suspender-strap, and suspenderends engaged with the buckle upon the rear suspender-strap.

12. Shoulder-braces comprising shoulderstraps adjustable as to length, front suspender-straps engaged with the shoulderstraps, front suspender-ends adjustable upon the suspender-straps, and tension-straps ad justable as to length engaged with the forward suspender portions of the device.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE E. BATES. Witnesses:

N. S. WRIGHT, M. M. STRUBLE. 

